Various forms of machinery have been provided for debarking and forming generally cylindrical logs from tree logs and other structures have been provided for transforming tree logs into substantially cylindrical cabin logs including transverse grooves in the ends of the cabin logs whereby adjacent end portions of right-angularly disposed logs may be keyed together in the conventional manner utilized in constructing a log cabin or similar building structure.
Examples of log debarking machinery and other devices including comparable structure are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,692,028, 2,401,500, 2,733,742 and 2,902,070, whereas a cabin log shaping apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,430.
However, these previously patented devices require structure for supporting a log or similar member for rotation about its longitudinal axis and thus require considerable bearing structures capable of rotatably cradling or journaling a heavy log. In addition, substantially all of these prior structures include cutting blades or members which are rotated in planes transverse to the log or similar structure upon which the cutting action is to be performed and which are therefore not capable of shaping the log by means of a longitudinal pass therealong while simultaneously forming a lengthwise keyway in the log. In addition, these previously known structures are cumbersome to use and are not readily adjustable to logs of different diameters.
Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus which may receive logs of varying diameters and transform those logs into cylindrical cabin logs of the same diameter with diametrically opposite sides of the cabin logs being provided with longitudinal keyways.